Southwark Pharmacy First Plus provides professional health care advice, treatments, and medicines for common illnesses from your local pharmacy, without the need for an appointment.

Benefits:

• Pharmacists are highly qualified health care professionals who are experts in medicines. They can give the same advice and treatment for common illnesses as GPs.
• Pharmacies are open during normal business hours and many are open late, on Saturdays and on Sundays.
• It may be quicker to see your pharmacist than wait for a GP appointment.
• You don’t need an appointment.
• Medicines offered are free of charge if you are normally exempt from prescription charges. If you usually pay for prescription charges, you can still receive advice and can pay the cost of any medicine issued or the standard prescription charge, whatever is cheaper.
• Anything you say to the pharmacist is treated with confidence.

How Does it Work?

If you are feeling unwell and may have any of the common illnesses listed below, you can access Southwark Pharmacy First Plus at the pharmacies listed at the bottom of the page in two ways:

1. You can present yourself to your local participating pharmacy. You will be seen by a pharmacist and can ask for a private consultation.

2. Your GP practice or health care services may signpost you to a participating pharmacy.

Your local participating pharmacist will explain the service to you and ask you for some details including your name, date of birth, postcode, and GP practice to register for the service.

If you choose not to register,  you can still receive free confidential professional health care advice but will not be able to obtain any medication for free (if normally prescription charge exempt) or at a reduced price under the scheme.

Common Illnesses included:

• Allergies
• Athlete’s foot
• Blocked/runny nose
• Cold and flu
• Cold sores
• Conjunctivitis
• Constipation
• Coughs and colds
• Diarrhoea
• Dry/sore eyes
• Ear wax
• Fever
• Hay fever
• Headache
• Head lice
• Indigestion
• Insect bites and stings
• Itching due to chicken pox
• Minor burns and scalds
• Mouth ulcers
• Nappy rash
• Piles
• Sore throat
• Sprains and strains
• Teething
• Threadworm
• Vaginal thrush

Will I have to pay for my advice or medicine?

All advice is free and if your pharmacist believes the condition needs further review, they will recommend where to get more advice.

If you don’t pay for your prescriptions, you can get SOME medicines free from your local pharmacy without needing to visit your GP.

If you usually pay for prescriptions, you will pay the cost of the medicine or the standard prescription charge, whatever is cheaper.

Will I always get medication?

On some occasions you may not need medication and will receive professional healthcare advice.

If the pharmacist feels it is appropriate to signpost you elsewhere, they will highlight the most suitable service to you.

Medicines will ONLY be supplied when you have a current condition in need of treatment. Any medication supplied to you must only be used to treat yourself or a dependent.

Important information

If accessing Southwark Pharmacy First Plus scheme, you must tell your pharmacist if:

• You are pregnant and/or breastfeeding
• You think you might be pregnant
• Other medications you are taking
• Any allergies that you have

Offer of free medicine is only for adults on low income:

• NHS low-income scheme and in possession of HC2 certificate
• Income support or income related employment allowance
• Income based job seeker’s allowance
• Tax credit exemption certificate
• Pension credit guarantee credit
• Universal Credit and meets certain criteria
• Homeless and in possession of ‘Letter of Homelessness’
• Young people aged 16,17 or 18 years and in full time education, part-time education, or undertaking an accredited level 1 apprenticeship
• Patients aged under 16 years who have at least one parent who would be eligible as per list above

Pharmacies taking part in Southwark Pharmacy First Plus scheme